


Rise Up

by rooftopkisses



Category: All For The Game - Nora Sakavic
Genre: AFTG Mixtape Exchange 2021, Alternate Universe - Western, Cowboys, M/M, Ravens vs Everyone Else, Saloons, Song fic, and the like, duels, riko dies bc its what he deserves
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-26
Updated: 2021-01-26
Packaged: 2021-03-12 06:13:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,523
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29005857
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rooftopkisses/pseuds/rooftopkisses
Summary: It was a wild world out there, and Neil would never hesitate to kill someone who deserved it. He just wasn’t sure any of the Monsters did.Song: Glitter and Gold by Barns Courtney
Relationships: Neil Josten/Andrew Minyard
Comments: 10
Kudos: 36
Collections: AFTG Mixtape Exchange 2021





	Rise Up

**Author's Note:**

  * For [moth_writes](https://archiveofourown.org/users/moth_writes/gifts).



> can i just say that country music is not my thing, and when i first heard this song i was like ohh boyy what am i gunna write... but after a few more listens,, MAN DOES THIS SONG SLAP. AND THE INSPIRATION FLOWED SO NICELY.  
> i promise i dont think every country song = western cowboys and shoot outs but this song had the VIBE yk?? 😂 and it got stuck in my head for dayyys on end 😂😂  
> i really hope you like it!!!!!
> 
> to everyone: ~there is death in this fic but no foxes die and it is not at all explicit! enjoy!~

Neil made his way up the hill; only a few strides remained. At the top, Andrew was waiting. Neil halted, putting up a hand to block the sun. From this far he couldn’t see the expression on Andrew’s face. He’d have to yell to be heard…but he had to do something before Andrew reached for his knives and made his move.

*******

“Enjoy,” the barkeep slid Neil’s mug his way. He took a sip, looking around at the other patrons. The beer was warm, the air was too. He adjusted his still-damp bandana to the other side of his neck. Men sat at wooden tables, conversing in hushed tones. Neil spotted Allison on the other side of the room and raised his glass.

“Today’s the day, hm?” she asked, sliding into the stool next to him. 

“So they tell me,” Neil replied. 

“Look. It needs to be done, whether you like it or not. They’re our rivals, and they stepped on our ground.”

“Yes. But they’re not the real enemy here. If we banded together-” he cut himself off. He’d given this argument a hundred times to Allison, Kevin, Dan, and the like. No one cared. They couldn’t see the bigger picture.

Allison sighed, adjusting her garment. “I get it, really I do. But it’s not up to me. I can’t change the tide- and neither can you. He’s not gonna be above snakes for long. You can come to mine after if you’d like.”

And with that, Allison took a swig of Neil’s beer, patted his head (he hated when she did that), and rejoined Seth and Renee at their table.

Was it so ridiculous that Neil didn’t want to die today? _Or_ kill anyone?

It was a wild world out there, and Neil would never hesitate to kill someone who deserved it. He just wasn’t sure any of the Monsters did. 

He dragged his heel through the scattering of sand beneath his feet. 

The saloon doors burst open.

“Howdy everyone,” Riko tipped his hat mockingly. His ravens stood behind him, hands gripping their holsters.

Neil slid his hand down to his own gun. He moved his finger slowly across the chamber, changing it from empty to full.

Conversations stopped. Everyone was waiting for Riko to speak. State his business. He and his crew had quite the reputation around here, and a friendly, _neutral,_ establishment like this had no place for him.

“I’m not looking for any casualties. Leave now, and let us conduct our business with Wymack here.”

Nobody moved.

_I am flesh and I am bone  
Rise up, ting ting, like glitter and gold  
I’ve got fire in my soul  
Rise up, ting ting, like glitter_

Wymack had been a patron to all those who came to him, no matter what sector they resided or gang they repped. He’d gained the town’s trust, and while Riko had been successfully raiding various establishments for the past few weeks, no self-respecting cowboy would back down and let Wymack fend for himself.

_I am flesh and I am bone  
I’ll rise ting ting like glitter and gold_

Before Riko could say another word, or make another move, Neil did.

He stood, and… so did Andrew. 

How Neil hadn’t noticed him before, he wasn’t sure. But he now had a clear view and a pistol in his hand, ready to be unloaded.

He hesitated. His eyes were locked with Andrew’s, but they flicked back to Riko. Now was _definitely_ not the time. He turned, trusting Andrew and focusing entirely on the Ravens.

The shooting started quickly.

Tables were tipped and used as covers as men dodged bullets and quickly reloaded if they had the ammo to spare.

Neil ducked behind the bar, firing with one hand and throwing glass bottles at the bastards’ heads with another.

The angle was too acute to really get an accurate shot; he was almost parallel with them. He needed to make his way to the center, into the thick of things.

One of the Raven’s had hit the bulbs that adorned the walls, leaving only the sky as a light source. At least the windows hadn’t shattered yet. Wymack couldn’t afford too much damage. _Again,_ not what Neil needed to be focusing on right now. He stayed hunched down and on the move, pausing every few steps to take a shot and duck behind a table or an overturned barrel. 

_Do you ponder the manner of things  
In the dark  
The dark, the dark, the dark_

Dead bodies littered the saloon. Even with all of Riko’s men, they didn’t have the practice or the strength of purpose like those who grew up here, so both sides were pretty evenly matched.

Neil fired off shot after shot. He kept his gun steady with his left hand gripping his right wrist and looked down the bore to fire a perfect shot to the heart. Ravens dropped to the floor left and right. 

_Cause everybody in the backroom’s spinning out  
Don’t remember what you’re asking for  
And everybody in the front room’s tripping out  
You left your bottle at the door_

Finally, Riko came into clear view and Neil didn’t hesitate. He pulled the trigger- and it reverberated back at him with a soft click.

He ducked back behind the barrel. “Shit,” he mumbled.

“Out already? Need to work on your aim?” Andrew taunted.

“It’s not my aim that’s the problem, it's the thirty goons he’s hiding behind.”

“Here,” Andrew said.

Neil looked down. Andrew held out his hand, a small blade resting in his palm and the handle ready for Neil to grab.

“Knives?” Neil questioned. He took it.

Andrew answered by turning around and landing a throwing star right in Riko’s boot.

Even in the chaos, Neil could tell Riko was seething. And Neil couldn’t help but smirk. 

“You ready to end this?” Neil asked.

“Do your worst,” Andrew said.

There was a saying among them— _Don’t bring a knife to a gunfight._ Neil was good with knives, always had been. But duels were all about speed. Knives could wound, they could kill if you were practiced enough, but if your opponent got a shot off first you’d be a goner. They didn’t usually have a place around here. Just a flash of a gun resting on your belt could be enough to get someone to back down.

It would be hard to throw a knife through the air just right, darting through bodies until it landed in your target. Neil took a breath in. Lifted his hand. Aimed; and threw. 

When he looked over at Andrew, his mouth was agape. When he looked back at Riko, he’d fallen to the floor, blood soaking his shirt.

“He’s dead,” one of his lackies proclaimed. 

There weren’t many Ravens left—Riko’s side had certainly lost the fight—and the few that were fled Wymack’s without a second glance. Odds were in the next few days they would either be dead or absorbed into one of the gangs they’d fought against today.

“Andrew,” Aaron called. “Let’s go.”

Andrew sent Neil and quick salute and left with Aaron and Nicky at his back.

Renee ran upstairs and came back with Abby in tow, quickly setting up a medical center to help the wounded.

Seth and Matt got started on the disposing of the bodies.

Neil stared at Andrew’s retreating back and took a deep breath. Riko was dead, but the dust was yet to settle.

******

_Do you walk in the meadow of spring?_

The top of the hill was flat and wide. The grass was green, soft to the touch Neil didn’t know. His boots trampled down on the blades as he’d approached, but he didn’t dare move another step now. Any sudden movements and Andrew might assume the worst.

There was one sure way to get his attention. He drew his pistol, and fired it towards the sky. 

For good measure, he chucked the gun to his right and watched it land.

Andrew’s gun was drawn, but it wasn’t pointed at him. If he chose to shoot now, Neil would be a goner. He had no way to defend himself anymore.

He began walking towards Neil, gun still pointed at the ground.

Tentatively, Neil walked to meet him.

“You’re an idiot,” Andrew said, brandishing his gun.

“But you agree with me,” Neil said, “Neither of us need to die.”

Andrew was scowling. They were so close now Neil could probably reach his arm out, grab Andrew’s wrist with one hand and his gun with the other.

But he didn’t want to. He knew he didn’t need to. Andrew would do the right thing here, because he was a good guy. Neil could tell, from the fight at the bar.

“I’m not losing a perfectly good gun,” Andrew said. He made a show of opening it, pocketing the bullets, and returning the gun to his holster.

“Thank you,” Neil said.

_I am flesh and I am bone  
I’ll rise ting ting like glitter and gold  
I’ve got fire in my soul  
Rise up, ting ting, like glitter_

_Like glitter and gold  
Like glitter_

**Author's Note:**

> please leave a comment if you liked it!! thank you 🥰🥰


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